A letter from a lay-man in communion with the Church of England ... to the Right Revd the Lord Bisho of ----

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LETTER

F R O M A

L A Y-M A N,

In Communion with the

Church of England,

Tho' DifTenting from her in fome Points.
TO THE

Right Revd' the Lord Bilhop of ;

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Printed for John Clark, at the Bible and Crorvn in
the Old Change near St. Paul's. 1714.

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A

LETTER

JL A

InCorfimunion with the Church of England,
tlio' DiiTenting from her in fome Points.

TO THE

U

Right Revd the Lord Biihop of

My Lord,

HEN I took up my Pen to Addrefs myfelfto
Your Lordship in behalf of the Protestant
Dissenters., it was not becaufl, J Ka '..',' -he lead
Imagination that Your Icrdshtp iisfckipjr&i
much lefs filje to the Interdf of thai Clwc/j, in
which you deftrvtdly hold lb high a bfA ion,
and which you fo brightly adorn. This Wotttti 1,<\^ b £n a
Thought that would have given me a lowu Oj Li i~n l f Y ur
Lordship^ than thofe perhaps havect ycu, wi;o lii , ti&-

A 2 cuce

(4)

duce you with it. No, my Lord, there is no fhadow of
Reaibn for this Sufpicion ; not only your known Opennefs and
Candor, but your long Profeffion and Intereft, as well as your
Labours, and your Sufferings, would be more than Proof
enough of your Sincerity to any but Unreafonable Men. It
were well, if we did not all find that the moft of thefe Confide-
ratibns did not chain us down too faft to our Opinions, con-
fidering the natural Bent and Turn of our Minds, and keep
us from quitting them, or at leaft from quitting the Profeffion
of them even for the Truth it felf.

I f my Writing to your Lordship on this Occafion re-
quires any Apology, when you allow me the Honour to do
it fo freely on any other, I mult beg you will give me leave
to tell you, It is becaufe I have the Happinefs to know the
true Greatnefs of your Mind', which leads you to a peculiar Love
of the Truth, and of Mankind. Your Lordship knows how
much more we owe to Truth, than to every Thing in the
World befides ; and that the love of it is the Seed-plot of all
Knowledge and Vertue, as well as of all Happinefs in this Life
or another. Your Lordship too, is perfectly well acquainted
with the Rights of Men and Chriftians, and has a Soul fill'd
with Benevolence to all that are made Partakers of" Humane
Nature, but efpecially to all the Vertuous and Chriftian Part
of Mankind ; and is fully appriz'd that whiift their differing
from Your Lordship does not diveft them of their Humanity,
Vertue, and Religion, it muft never leflen or abate your Love
and Good-wiil towards them, You teach us with an Energy
peculiar to your Self, That loving Men for their agreeing with
us, is but a Fondnefs for ourfelves , and being pleas'd with
our own Image in our Fellow-Creatures, inftead of loving
the Image of our Maker, or of our Bieifed Lord and Mafter
in them. Your Lordship knows too, better than any can
inform you, that there were much iuch fort of Lifpu'tes and
Differences between the nrft Chriftians, Jews and Gentiles,
as there are now amongft us : And that St. Paul's Method for
the quieting of them, and healing the Minds of thofe that
were unhappily troubled with them, was, That every Man
mould prad:ile according to what he was fully perfuaded in
bis own Mind, without Judging or Ceniuring his Brother

that

CO

chat differ' d from him, becaufe he was his Brother, *'. e. his
Equal, and becaufe He that only had a right to Judge him was
the Lord. And chat therefore they fhould receive one another
in Love, notwithstanding all their Differences, and not to
doubtful Difpucations. Thefe are Reflections to which vour
Natural Propenfions have led you, together with) our Suffer-
ings, your great Reading, your deep Thought, your general
Knowledge, and long Exp :rience of Mankind; and above all,
your True Religion and Vertue. Allow me my Lord only
juft to Remark, That if an Infpir'd Governour of the Church
did not think fit to eftablifh an Uniformity of Sentiments or
Practice between the Believing Jews and Gentiles in Matters,
where he knew the Believing Gentiles to be in tne right, and
the Believing Jews in the wrong, but had fuch a Regard to
the Prejudices and falfe Notions of the Believing Jews, as to
enjoin a Toleration and Forbearance in thefe Matters ,• how
much lefs will it become any Governours of the Church in
our Days to Impofe Things of much lefs Confequence, and
more doubtful Difputation, and to deprive Men of their Natu-
ral, Civil and Religious Liberties to obtain a ftri&er Unifor-
mity for the fake of any fancy 'd Submiflion, Peace or Order, or
any other Reafon whatever.

Whilst I am led by thefe Reafons to give Your Lord-
ship this trouble, I hope you will have the Patience to perufe
what I think the Protestant Dissenters have to offer for
themfelves againft the Bill now before You. And that I may
take up as little of your Lordship's Time as may be, allow me
to argue their Caufe in the belt Manner I can, and agreeably
to the Principles of the far greater and better Part of them,
without the little Interruptions which would be neceffarily
occafion'd by continuing it in an Epiftolary Stile,

There is fcarce any Thing at the firft Sight more evident,
than that One of thefirit Obligations a reafonable Creature is
under, is, To enquire after the Will o! his Maker ; and to profefs
and frat$$6e agreeably, to that, which after his bed Enquiries
he apprehends it to be. Jf Almighty God has given me Rea-
fon, it is to gaide me in my Search after Him, or why has He
made ic mine ? And if lie has given another Region, what is id

for

< 6 )

for, but to direft him, or why is ir his ? "But another Man's
Reafon can no more be given him to direft me, than my Reun-
ion can be given to direct him. Befides, finite ,\ien are e-
qiial* and a fallible Man can't pretend to gov rn me In a
fearch, in which he is as liable to miftake as my f elf, and who
may for ought I know have been remifs in his Enquiiies, and
have a By-end to ferve by the Directions he wond pretend ro
give me; whereas I may be (lire, that 1 have been diligent
in& impartial in my own Enquiries. This (hews plainly that
there is no fuch Thing as a Judge of Truth tor another among
Mortal Men, but that we have all the Honour put upon us by
our Maker, of being Judges of Truth and Error for our
ielvesL

A n d as it is the mod obvious Thing in the World, that no
i can poliibly judge for anotner, fo it is likevvife very clear
upon a little Reflection, that no Government ought to nflrain
a Man in any Profejjion or Traffice, that does not injure the Life,
Liberty, Property, or Reputation of his Neighbour, or the
jtfft Rights of the Community in which he lives ■; Or in other
Words, That no Government ought to reftraina Man in any
Profeffion or Practice that relates only to himfeli, and more
particularly in thofe Matters that relate only to God, and
his own Mind,- becaufe no Man could have Power over ano-
ther in a State ot Nature or Freedom, in Matters of this Kind ,•
nor any Government confequentiy over it's Subjects ; Govern-
ment deriving its Power under G o u, from private Mens de-
parting from the Rights they had in a State of Nature, and con-
ferring them on the' Government they fet up. So that for In«
itance, a Government can't rightfully reftrain a Man's pro-
fefling the Belief of a Vacuum, or a Plennm, or order him in
'he Time of his riling or going to Bed, eating rod Meat, or
coil'd, or in any other Sentiment or Action of Life, which
only relates to himfelf, and is no ways injurious to another.
Thefe are confeffedly Points exempted from Government, and
in which a Man has his Right to an entire Libert/ as fully re-
ferv'd to him as he could enjoy it in a State of Nature or Free-
dom. And of this kind are Mens Sentiments and Practices in
Points of Religion, that are either fpcculative, or don t injure
■our NeLhbonr, fuch as, Whether a Man mall Pray by a pre-

fcrib'd

(7)

fcrib'd Form,, or not ? Whether he fliall Pray in a White Gar-
ment, or not ? Whether he mail Bow at the Name of Jesus?
In what Senfe he fhall underftand the Sacraments,, or with
which of the different Ufages about Adminiftring them, he
fliall comply? Whether there fhall be a Superiority, or Equality
among the Pallors of the Church, or among the Chriftian Con-
gregations themfelvcs ? &c. Bec-iuieaMan can't by believing,
or. practifmg cither Way in thefe Points do hurt to any but
himfelf.

But there is this Difference between thefe latter Inftances,
and the former,- That the former are Cafes exempted from
Government, and referv.d to a Man s own Determination, they
being entirely Indifferent: But the latter are not only exemp-
ted from Humane Government, but are immediately referv'd
to- the Divine ; it being an Indignity to the Almighty, not to
pro fefsi.thofe Sentiments, and pradtife thofe Things in Religi-
on, which we think upon our Enquiries are the moft agree-
able to. his Mind. From whence it will follow, That as to break
in upon a Man's Liberty in.the indifferent Things of Life, is an
Encroachment on the Rights oi Humane Nature ; fo to break
in upon it in Religious Matters that are not injurious to ano-
ther, is not only an Encroachment, which is called Perfection:
for Confciencefake, but is an Ufurpation of the Divine Prero-
gative over the Minds of Men.

Besides, k will appear very plainly, That Government
can have no rightfull Power over Mens Profeflions or PraCtiees-
in Points of this Nature; becaufe Governments cant in any
wife *ffi& zJWens Sentiments : For Penalties, which is all the
Force that Government can exert over its Subjects, have not
the leaft tendency to alter Mens Opinions : All that a Govern-
ment-can do, is to reftrain Mens Profeffions or Practices ;
But to rcitrain their Profeflions or Practices in Points that arc
not injurious to others, when they cant alter their Belief, tends
only to i make Men Hypocrites, and to believe One Things
and profefs and praCtiic another, which as it by Confluence
tends to Damn the Man that is thus. tempted to Hypocn
io it tends to deftroy all Government, by loofing Men' from trie

(8)

of their Confciences, the beft Security a Government can
poflibly have, for the trueft Obedience of its Subjects.

A n d that God never ordain'd, that a Government mould
have any Power over Mens Profeflions and Practices in Mat-
ters of Religion, that do not injure another, is farther clear
from hence., That if a Government could acquire ilicha Power,
and could execute it, without thofe real Injuries to any of their
Subjeds, or to Government itfelf, which we have juft now
mention'd ,• yet it could not be fuppos'd, that Almighty God
would have Governments vefted with any fuch Power; Becaufe
the veiling Governments with luch a Power would do a great
deal mere hurt in the World than good. For if they were vefted
with any Power to this purpofe, it muft be with a Power to re-
train the Profeflions and Practices of all Men, that they appre-
hended to be in the wrong. Now there are perhaps a Hun-
dred Governments in the World in the wrong, to One that is
in the right, and therefore by this Power there might be One
hundred Times more hurt done in the World than good ; And
it can never be fuppos'd that Almighty God would order it fo,
that Governments fhould be vefted with a Power which muft
inevitably (as Things would ftand in the World) do an Hun-
dred Times more hurt than good in it : It is prophefy'd indeed
that " Kings fhall be their Nurfing Fathers, and Queens their
" Nurfing Mothers. " i. e. to Go d's Church and People,
But that they will beft be by fupprefling Immorality, and by
encouraging free and imoartial Enquiries after Truth, and
the open Piofeffion of a Man's Belief upon his Enquiries. By
fuch Methods Truth is to befure molt likely to gain Profelytes,
becaufe that will always appear cleareft where the faireft, freeft
Enquiries are mo ft countenane'd. Or by thefe Methods, at
leaft, Men are moft like to become fincere in their Enquiries and
Profeflions • which is the only Thing that can render them
acceptable to their Maker, for He having made them fallible,
will never condemn them for not being Orthodox, which it
may not be perhaps in the power of a fallible Man to be,- but
for their not being honeft and fincere in their Enquiries, Pro-
fessions and Practices, which they might have been if they had
pleas'd.

A N D

(9)

A n d as Things {land thus by the Light of Nature, Co Chri-
ftianity has made no Alteration in this Rclpe<£t, having left Go-
vernments and Subjects as well as other Humane Relations,
as it found them, and neither given any new Power to Go-
vernments, or any new Degrees of Liberty to Subjects which
they had not before. But Chriftianity fitppofes that Governments
ought not to reftrain Mens Profeffion or Practices in Matters of
Religion that are not injurious to others $ becaufe it was upon
this Suppofition alone that Chriftianity could have been brought
into the World. Our Saviour declar'd his Kingdom was not of
this World, but was born as much a Subject as any other of his
Countrymen ,• and therefore couid never have invited Men to
a new Profeflion contrary to all the Profeflions then in the
World, if it had not been lawful to profefs what a Man, upon
Enquiry, finds to be Right, tho' it be contrary to the Sentiments
that are entertain'dby Men in Power.

He that will be a Chriftian mufl take Chrift for his mix
Trophet and King, and muft become his Difciple and Subject, and
be only taught and govern'd by him in Matters of Religion.
To us Chrift ians, there is no other Rabbi, or Lord, Mafter, Tea-
cher or Law-giver, as there is no other at laft to be our Judge.
If we give up our felves to the Dictates or Rules of any other,
we are the Difciples of Men, and our Faith Hands in the Word
of Man, and not in the Word of God ,• and we fay that we will
not have Him to rule over us. If therefore we yield Implicitly
to the Inftru&ions or Government of any other in Matters of
Religion, we ib far renounce Chriftianity, and become astoo ge-
nerally Men do, either Papifts by giving up our felves blindly
to be governed by the Church, or Hobbifts, by delivering our
felves up to the Conduct of thofe Secular Powers of the World,
under which we happen to live.

And agreeable to the Nature of Chriftianity, and the Way in
which it came into the World, are its Commands, which fup-
pofe ail Men to be Judges of Truth and Error for themfelves
againftall Power Civil and Ecclefiaftical, oreile it couid never
have obliged every Man to tf fearch the Scriptures, to try the
" Spirits, to take heed what they hear, to try all Things and hold

B - tail

( i-o)

" fad what which is Good, and not only to render to Cafar the
" Things that are Cafar s but to God the Things that are God's,
and recomended the Chriftian Religion to Mankind againft all
the Methods that the Heathen and Jewifh Powers, and the
only Church God had then in the World, could take, to prevent
its being receiv'd by Mankind, or to extirpate it afterwards.

And as this is the Nature and Foundation of Chriftianity, and
thefe the Commands that were given in order to make or keep
Men Chriftians ,- fo whilft they continue Juch, nothing is fo
often, orfo ftrongly enjoyn'd as Love, Meeknefs, Humility,
Condefcenfion and Forbearance in all Points where it might be
podible for Chriftians to differ. This is recommended as the
mod diftinguifhing Badge of our Religion, and as the higheft
and moft exalted Inftance of our Obedience to God, and Imita-
tion of our bleffed Lord and Mafter.

H e indeed foretells u That the Time wou'd come, when Men
f fhould deftroy the fincere Enquirers after Truth, as thinking
c they did God good Service, " and that a Power fhould arife in
the World that fhou'd take upon him to be an infallible Judge of
Truth and Error, and mould under that Character impofe My-
fterieson Mens Belief and force Mankind to fubmk to them by
Perfecution, which is the Power the moft oppofite to the Spirit
and Intereft of our Lord and Saviour, and is therefore fitly called
Antichrift ; but then we are commanded to oppofe him with our
Lives, tho' he fhould go about to deceive us with Miracles and ly-
ing Wonders, as being the moft fpecious, and dangerous Enemy
of the Chriftian Religion that fhould ever arife in the World.

The Judging for our felves in Matters of Religion, or in o-
ther Words, in Matters of Faith, Difcipiine and Worfhip, in op-
pofition to this Antichriftian Claim, appear'd fo plainly to be our
Right as Men and Chriftians at the Reformation, that People
affum'd this Privilege to themfelves in all Parts of Chr'frendom,
and openly declar'd againft theCorruptions which the Church of
Rome had introdue'd into every part of the Chriftian Church,
and feperated from her, notwithstanding her Pretences to In-
fallibility ^ Avowing openly the Right every Man had to a
Judgment of Difcretion3 or Discernment between Truth and Er-
ror

( II )

ror, and that our Faith was to ftand in Christ or in the
Scriptures, and not in any Church whatfoever, becaufe all
Churches had Err'd. And tho' in Tome Places this Reforma-
tion was Enjoin'd by the State under fevere Penalties before
it was publickiy embrac'd, yet it was not embrac'd purely in
Obedience to fuch publick Eftablifhments, but to Mens Opi-
nions, that the Things eftablifh'd were right : Or elfe if the
Government had eftablifh'd Paganifm, Mahomet ani[m, cr Popery,
People had not had a Right to Diflentfrom it, but mull have
continu'd profeft Tagans, Turks, or Tapjis to their Lives Ends ;
than which nothing can be more abfurd.

What was fo evidently the Right of every Man in all
Communities, has upon its being allow'd by fome Govern-
ments, as evidently appear'd to be the Intereft of thofe Communi-
ties. For the more full, abfolute, and unlimited a Toleration
has been given by Governments to DiJJenters, the more prof-
perous and flourifhing have thofe Countries been. This is the
true Secret of the Fertility of the barren Mountains otSwiJJ'erland,
and of HoUa?td's becoming the Garden of the World, (which
is but the Sink and Drain of Germany, and was but the Neft of
a few poor Fifhermen) and of the thriving Condition of Pen-
Jilvania beyond any other of our Colonies on the Continent of
America j whilft Perfecution has turn'd Italy, the Paradife of
this Part of the World into ruinous Cities, and into a fort of a
barren and unwholefome Wildernefs : Nor can it poffibly be
otherwife,- for Uneafinefs and Oppreilion of any Kind, even
in the loweft Interefts of this Life, but more particularly in
the high Concerns of another, manifeftly tend to depopulate
and impoverish a Country : Whereas making Men ealy in
their PoiTeffions and Profpeds in this World, but efpecially in
their Hopes of a better, tends to make them become Rich
and Healthful, to encreafe and multiply, and as we fee in Fa<5t
it does, where this Liberty obtains, to make all Arts, Knowledge,
good Literature, Trade, Husbandry, Credit and Manufa-
daires, together with good Neighbourhood, and every other
good Word and Work flourifh and abound : Whereas the want
of it introduces nothing but deep Ignorance, Immorality, all
kinds of Oppreffion, and at laft the greateft Decay in the Vigour

B 2 and

( 12 )

Riches of a Nation, if not irs utter Ruin and Deftrufti-
on.

It feemstobe fo much the Obligation and Intereft oral!
Governments to give this Toleration to all their Siibjeds, that
it not for the Lufi of 'Tower , one would think it were
impcilible for any Government to miftake it .; but especially
for Proteftant Governments which have taken the Liberty to
DifTent and Seperate from the Church of Rome. Is it not mon-
ftrous for any of them, not to allow others to feperate and dif-
fenc from their feperated and difTcnting Communions? It
: .ems ftrangely ablurd, that thofe that have renoune'd the
Do&rine of any infallible Judge of Truth and Error upon
Earth, (lieu d pretend to prefcribe to others what they fhall be-
lieve : Or that thofe that proteft againft the Prevarications of
the Church of Rome mould ob'ige Men to profefs and practife
: may be contrary to their Belief, in Things that cannot
be injurious to any but their own Souls.

It is no Wonder, if we find Chriftianity gain no Ground in
the World, when moil Christians Teem cblig'd to build their
Religion on Human Authority, and do it accordingly^
which muft appear to a confidering Infidel to be robbing
the Almighty of His Prerogative, and Mankind of the greateit
Right they have a Claim to. Bigots will do well to confider,
what tempted Julian to Apoftatize to Heathenifm, and what
is that Stone of Stumbling, and Rock of Offence on which all
the fober and confidering Atheifts and Deifts of our Day fplic.
But woe be to Them by whom this Offence comes. Let them
remember that our Saviour in luch a Cafe fays, That it had been
better for them to have had a zJMilftone har.g about ther Necks : and
they themfelves caft into the Sea. Nor can it be any Surprize,
that Proteftams in fuch great Numbers Apoftatize to the
Church of %^me in any Countries in Europe, inftead of Papifts
becoming Proteftams, when there is fo little of the Proteitant
Doctrine taught or practised in the World. Proteftantifm, as
our Enemies of the Church of %°me reproach us, is become
but a Name, the Thing in a manner loft. Proteftant Fallible
Churches and States Judge as much for their Members and

Subjects

( «3 )

Subjects in pure Matters of Religion,, as the pretended fnfalL-
ble Church of Ifyme, tho* they do not perhaps enforce their
Creeds and Rituals by fuch fevere Penalties. It is abfurd for
any fallible Man to judge for another in Matters of Religion :
It is more abfurd for a Proteftant to do it, becaufe by ic
mud become inconfiftent with himfeif, and be Self-condemn'd
if he reflects at all ; whilft he cannot but fee, that he b
again thofe Things he has deftroy'd. Bat for any Member of
the Church of England to be for the Perfection of peaceable
Diffenters, feems more abfurd than for any other Proteftant
whatfoever^ Becaufe, the Church of England has affum'd the
Right of Judging for herfelf farther than any other Church in,
the World ; having diffented in Polity, Discipline and Wor-
fhip from all other Churches in Chrlfiendom, both Popilh and
Reform'd.

It will well become us in England to confiJer what is that
National Crime, for which Almighty God threatens to con-
tend with us. Let every Man after he has laid afide all Heat..
Party and Prejudice, and fet himfeif as in the Prefence of the
All-fearching Impartial, and Dreadful Judge of all the Earth,.
think with himfeif upon the bed Recollection he is capable of,
whether there be any Crime of fo high a Nature againft God
and Man, as judging for others in Religious Matters, and Per-
fecting them if they will not Conform to our Opinions r And
Whether there is any Crime among us that Co much deferves
the Character of a National one, on many Accounts as this?
If Perfecution be one of the diftinguiihing Characters of Spi-
ritual Babylon, " The Voice from Heaven, is to come out of her.
*{ and not to be Partakers of her Sins, that you receive not of
c' her Plagues. "

Nay, It will well become ail Trotefiants in every Part of
Europe, at this time of Day, ferioufly to reflect, Whether, if
they will not fuffer Diffenters in their feverai Countries to
judge for themfelves, they will not provoke Almighty G o d,
to take from them the Power of judging for Themfelves, and
the Power they unjuftly Ufurp of judging for Others, .
iuifer them all once more to come under the

('+)

pretended in fallible Judge of Rome. And if they will neither
allow God Almighty His Undoubted Prerogative over the
Confcionces of Men, nor their Fellow-Creatures their undoub-
ted Rights and Privileges, whether they have not the greateft
Reafon to apprehend, that He will in His Juft Vengeance dif-
fer all their Prerogatives and Privileges to be fwallowed up in
the Univerfal Monarchy of an enterprizing haughty Neigh-
bouring Pov/er.

But notwithstanding the clear Evidence there is for the
Toleration of all Religions that are not injurious to others,
yet indeed it happened foon after the %^ ft oration of King
Charles II. by the Presbyterians, that ieveral very fevere
Laws were made againft Protestant Dissenters, ro the
great Scandal of a Proteftant Country. But it is to be ob-
lerv'd, that they were made under the Influence of a Popifh
King, and a much more Bigotted Popifh Succeffor, in the
views of introducing Popifh and Arbitrary Power, and under
the frefh and violent Refentments of the Nobility, Gentry and
Clergy of Englandfov the change of the Conftitution in Church
and State, which h ad been brought about by fome that dif-
fented from the Church, from whence it became a very com-
mon, tho' a very falfe Maxim, That all Diflenters aim'd at
nothing lefs than the Subverlion of the Monarchy, and the
Church : Whereas it is moft certain, as my Lord Clarendon ve-
ry juftly obferves, That it was ftraining Things too far in
Church and State, that made the Difienters, and not Ori-
ginal Diffenters, that brought in Presbytery or the Common-
wealth. But if it had, and the Diffenters after the Reftoration
had been apprehended to have entertain'd the like Defigns a-
gainft Church and State ; proper Laws mould have been fram'd
againft Men of fuch unpeaceable Fa&ious Principles, but not
againft a peaceable DifTent from the Church, as all the Penal
Laws againft Protestant Dissenters in that Reign were :
And yet as foon as this firft Heat abated, that very Parliament
that made all thofe Penal Laws voted,That the putting them in
Execution at that Time, was grievous to the Subject, a -weakning
the Trot eft ant Inter eft, an encouragement to Popery , and dangerous
to the Veace of the Kingdom. And that and ieveral Succeeding Par-
liaments

( '5 )

liaments would have given them Eafe, if the Practices of that
Court and Miniftry had not prevented them : It being evi-
dent that thefe Meafures, as they came from Papifts, tended to
nothing but to divide, and weaken the Proteftant, and to
unite and ftrengthen the Popifh Intereft both at Home and
Abroad.

This it had like to have done in a very extraordinary
Manner, by the Ufe that King James II. made of it afcer he
came to the Throne j which was to court the DilTenters to
lall in with his Popifh and Arbitrary Meafures, by giving
them an Indulgence, and other Marks of his Royal Favour ;
thereby representing the Church of England as the Mercilefs
Church, and the Church of %j,me as a Pattern of Clemency

and Tendernefs. Difcite Jufiltiam <iJMomti ! — But the

Church-men then confefs'd their Folly and Iniquity, ownd
they had been but the Tools of Papiits in Perfecuting their
Proteftant DifTenting-Brethren, entreated them not to fall in
with the King's Meafures to the Common Ruin of the Nation,
and that if they would not, they themfelves wou'd, whenever
it was in their Power, come to a juft Temper with them, both
as to a Toleration, and a Comprehenfion ; and confefs'd, That
if ever the Church of England, after flie got out of this Storm,
fhould hearken again to the Counfel of any Sour Peevifh Men
amonft them, fhe would be abandon d by God and Man,
and bring down the juft Difpleafure of Heaven againft her.
May God Almighty in his Infinite Mercy grant, that our
Sins may be broken off by Repentance, that io the Guilt of
broken Vows and Promifes, may never fall on a Proteftant
Church and Nation !

Indeed, at the Revolution, the Obligation and Intereft
of the Government to give Eafe to fcrupulous Confciencs
appear'd fo plain, that with the Reftoration of our other Li-
berties, this molt Invaluable One of cur Confciences, was in
fome meafure recover'd to us, by an Ad for Exempting Pro-
teftant DilTenters from the Penalties of feveral Laws in force
againft them. The Right Proteftant DilTenters had to it,
and the Advantages it brought to the Kingdom, has fhone

out

(irf)

ia fo full a LuftVe fmce, that a Tr leration has become as
: were a Fundamental Principle and Maxim of our Govern-
ment. Infomuch, that it has been tr ought necceilary on
every A:tempt that has been made againft it, particularly
when an Occafitr.al-~Blll was brought into Parliament in the
fird Year of Her Majesty's Reign, to have a Declaration

; by every Part of the Legislature, That it ought, and
ihould be inviolably maintain'd. And the I.aft Parliament,
a Parliament than which r.cne fure has been thought more de-
voted to the Intereft of the Crown and the Church, were
fure Her Majesty in their Addrefs, An. 1710.
That as they were Ftllow-Chrifiians, and Fellow- Subjects with the
Frotefiant cDijJ'cnters, who were jo unhappy as to entertain Scruples a-
ga'wfi Conformity with the Church, they were defirom and deter-
mmd, to let them quietly enjoy that Indulgence which the Law had
allow d them. And in the Preamble to the Occa/icnal-Ccr.formity-
jff3 the Nation has receiv'd freih AfTurances, that the To-
leration fhall be inviolably maintain d.

W hat has no doubt, tended very much to procure

thefe gracious Affurances in their Favour, was, Thar it had

been plain in a Courfe of near Thirty Years Experience, that

the Proteftant Dissenters are net ofthofe Principles they

had been perhaps thought, and reprefented. They have givui

the fulieft Proofs by their Conduct, that they are Enemies to no

Monarchy, but a Turkish or a Frensh one • nor to any Church

in England, but a Popiih one, that is, one which, tho' it may

retain°t'-:e Name of a Proteflant Church, is for high Degrees of

Uncharitablenefs and Perfecution, and for uniting with the

Church oi Home. They have made it as plain too, that they are

true Friends to an Englifi) Monarchy, and hearty welhwimers

to the Proteftant Church of England. They take Her to be

a Tims Chriftian Church, and by far the greater Part of

them, efpecially the Minifters, and the more Considering

Part oi the People, think themielves bound to treat Her and

all Her Members under that Confideration. They wifh Her

indeed farther Reform'd from many Things, which, as in

their Opinion came from Rome, feem manifeftly to lead Her

thither again ; and therefore think it their Duty, according to

the

(i7

)

the Command of their BlefTed Lord and Master, with
all humility to bear their Teftimony againft them by a pub-
lick and open Profeflion, but without breaking Love, Charity
and Communion with her, which they defire to maintain on
all proper Occafions ; They pray for the Bleffing of God up-
on her, and preach up Moderation, Charity, Love and Com-
munion with her in their Publick AfTemblies. I can't better
exprefs the worft they wifh her, than in the Words of a very,
worthy Perfon, in a Sermon to a DilTenting Congregation .-
Cl That God wou'd in much Goodnefs fupport and defend
c: Her againft all attempts of Popery, and in His due Time,
cc and in the gentieft Manner, purge her from any Errors or
cf Corrup;ions which may lelTen the Perfeclion of her Beauty
fC or Hoiineis." And indeed the Principles that are generally
taught by the Diffenters in refped to Government, are, That
the Engiiflj Constitution is the beft ofany this Day in the World ;
and the Sentiments they at this time propagate in Matters of Re-
ligion, amount to the Principles of an Oniverfal Toleration,
Catholick Communion, and a farther Reformation of what-
ever they take to be amifs in Doctrine, Difcipline, or Worfhip,
as far as they can bring it about by the A4eans of Perfuafion and
Example, and by no other whatfbever^ than which no Princi-
ples can be devifed, more friendly to Mankind, or on all Ac-
counts more agreeable to the Light of Nature or Revelation.

A s I have thus endeavour'd faithfully to reprefent their
Principles, fo I would now beg leave to reprefent their Cafe,
as it Hands fince the late Occafional Conformity Ad. Thofe
among the Dijjenters that had Offices during Her Majefty's
Pleafure are depriv'd of them, if they go but once to a Meet-
ing, made liable to a confiderable Fine, and incapable
of the Honour and Advantage of ferving Her Majefty, qr their
Country for the future. Thofe which had Offices that were
confider'd as Free-holds, are depriv'd of fuch their Free-holds,
as much as if it was during pleafure ; tho' it be of never fo
confiderable a Value, and be the whole they poflefs in the
World : Whereas <tMagnci Cbarta enads, That no Man fhall be
fin'd without Salvo Contenimento. And the fevereft Ad againft
the Dissenters in King Charles II. Reign went no far-

C ther

( i8 )

thflfl to fine a Man 20 /. per Month, if in all that Time he
abfented himfelf from the Church. And what is 1 believe pe-
culiar to our own Country, They are yet liable to all Offices
of Burthen, tho' they are made incapable of any of Profit ; and
notwithstanding fome of thofe Offices of Burthen are of the
Higheft Truft in our Country. Thofe of them particularly that
are poifefs'd of Land in any of the Counties, or of Freedoms
in any of the Cities in England, are liable to be made Sheriffs:
by which they muft either abfent themfelves from their pu-
blick Afiemblies againft their Confciences if they execute
that Office ; or elie be liable to fuch Fines, and Actions for
Damages, ir they don't, as may ruin a Man of the beft Eftate
in England. By thefe Means all of them, tho' they have no
Lands or Freedoms, no Offices, or would not accept them, are
put under a Mark of great Infamy and Reproach, and are
pofted as Men not fit to execute any Office of Honour or
Truft in their Country : whereby they are expos'd to the Ill-
will and Contempt of their Neighbours, and a Way is Pav'd
to farther Marks of the Government's Difpleafure againft
them.

Of this laft unhappy Tendency of the Occasional Conformity Acl%
They have receivd a furprizing and mortifying Inftance in the
Bill for the Preventing the farther Growth of Schifm: Whereby
they will be prevented in the moft unprecedented and effectu-
al manner from having their Children Educated by any of
their own Perfuafion, or in their own Opinions, even by Per-
fons Conforming to the Eftablifh'd Church. This they think
would be a Severe Verfecution of them for thefe three Reafons,
(1.) That it deprives many School-mafters , and School-
miftreffes, and all other Inftruclors of Youth of a Mainte-
nance for the fake of their Confciences, and fome of them
of a Calling which they have as legal a right to exercife, as
any Diffenter can have to exercife any other Trade whatfo-
ever ,• as in the Cafe of thofe who have a Freedom to teach
Writing, Arkhmetick, Accompts, and fome parts of the Ma-
thematicks, upon ferving an Apprentifhip Seven Years in the
City of London, and many other Cities and Towns of £%-
land, (2.) That it renders the Toleration but a Temporary

Thin.?,

(*9)

Thing, and provides that it fhall not outlive thofc that are
already Educated. Now to Tolerate but for a Time, is certainly
to Perfecute afterwards. Befides, that it feems altogether in-
confiftent to make a new Law, in order to make a Law al-
ready in Being ( I mean the Aft; of Exemption ) a Temporary
A&, which is in its own Nature a perpetual One. (3.) That it de-
ftroys the Toleration in a moft Effential Part of it at prcfent. If
a Man enjoys any Toleration it is for himfelf, but if Prote-
ftant DiiTcnrers are not allow'd to Educate their Children in
their own Way, they can never be faid to be Tolerated, fince
theirChildrcn are aPart of themfelves,and to be govern'd intirely
by them tili they attain the ufe of their Reafon. All young Crea-
tures are under the Care of their Dams, till they are able to
fhift for themfelves : But Infants are brought into the World
in a more helplefs State than any others, and are longer be-
fore they arrive at their Vigour and Perfection, becaule their
Parents are endued with Reafon, in order to the well govern-
ing their Off-fpring, by the Great Author of Nature, who
does nothing that is redundant or in vain. Their Parents
moreover are endued with a natural Tendernefs towards them,
which lafts longer in Men and Women than in any Brute
Creatures, in order to ftimulate them to a due Care over the
tender Years of their Children, without which Inftinft,. the
Toil would become intolerable, and univerfally negleded :
So that to Reftrain Parents from Educating their Children in
fuch Sentiments as they think beft, whilft they are not Injuri-
ous to others, is to pervert the Order of Nature, and the fettled
Courfe of Things.

And that which makes this the more Grievous is, That the
obliging Parents to Educate their Children under fuch as they
fhould not choofe, has a natural Tendency to alienate the
Children from their Parents, and Parents from. their Children,
and to rob their Families of the Peace and Order they might
otherwife enjoy, and themfelves of the Satisfa&ion they
ought naturally to take in one another. For what can Pro-
tcitant Diffenters expect, but that the utmoft Endeavours
fhou'd be us'd to breed up their Children in the ftrongeft
Prejudices againft them ; and that their tender Minds muft be

C 2 over-

(20)

overborn by the Attacks that will be made upon them. It
were perhaps more Merciful to render Protettant Diffenters
incapable of Marriage, and oblige them to conflict with all the
Temptations and Hardlhips of a fingle State, rather than to
leave them capable of Marriage, and deny them the great End
and Bleffing of it, in the Education and Comfort of their
Children.

The Severity of this Bill is fo much the greater on the
Account (i.) of its Extent, which is to all School- ma iters
and Miftreffes, all private Tutors, Governours and Gover-
neffes of all Kinds. ( tho' they were only to Teach the
Bible and the Liturgy of the Church) perhaps to Matters
of Ships, and Gcu only knows how much farther. By
this Means, Perfecution that has never extended it felf be-
yond publick AlTemblies, is now to enter the private Families,
not only of Diffenters, but as it may happen of the beft
Conformiftsin England. (2.) Of theTeft, which is to be put
upon all Teachers of Youth, which is, not only to conform
in fome Inftances, and at fome Times to the Church, the
only Teft in former Perfecutions, but never to go after-
waids to a Meeting; which is not only inconfiftent with a
Diffenter's Principles, but with a good Chriftian's ; in as
much as it makes him renounce Two Articles of our Creed,
that of the Catholick-Church, and the Communion of Saints,
Articles brought into it in oppofition to confining Chriitia-
nity, or our Communion to any one Sett or Party of Saints
or Chriftians whatfoever. (3.) Of the sJManner in -which it
is to be executed, whereby they are to be fubjected not only
to a fevere Law, but to the Piques and Paflions of thole
that are to be their Judges, to the Oppreflions peculiar to
the Spiritual-Courts, and yet to be cut off from the Juftice
of JVeftminfter-Hall.

Another Hardfhip in this Bill, is, That it may pre-
vent the Children of Proteltant Diffenters from being educated
in the Principles of ihe Chri/lian Religion, by forbidding any
Conforming bchool- matter or School Miftrefs, or any pri-
vate Family futor or Teacher, from teaching any Care-

chijm

(21)

chlfm but that of the Church ; which the Children of DIP
Tenters can't only not anfvver with Truth, not having God*
fathers and Godmothers (as is very well obferv'd in the Let-
ter to a Member of Parliament relating to the Bill for
preventing the farther Growth of Schifm, &c.) but which will
make the Chfifiian Religion of no Force with them : Our
Obligation to the Belief and Duties of the Chriftian
Religion being laid down in that Catechifm, as deriving all
its Force from the Vow and Promife that our Godfathers
and Godmothers made in our Name at our Baptiim, Tlj.a
we fhoiid renounce the Divil, &c. But then cercainly, the
Children of Diffenters can't learn that they are under any
Obligations to take upon them the Profeiiion or Practice
of the Chriflian Religion from that Catechifw, fince they had
not the Benefk of GoiTips vowing thefe Things for them,
and in their Name, at that Solemnity.

Its Severity is likewife very much enhane'd, if we either
compare ic, wich the fevere Treatment the Proteftant DiiTenters
met with in the Reign of King Charles II. (in which, how-
much foever they were profecuced on other Penal Laws,
they were always conniv'd at in this) Or, if we confidei
the Tendernefs Her Majefty has been pleas'd to exprefs for
the Presbyterians of Hungary, Silejia, and France, or the un-
uiual Favour that has been (hewn to the Diffenters of Scotland;
tho' their Scruples are of fuch a Nature as make them re-
fufe to fubmit to the Government of their Country, as
well as to conform to the Church. It feems particular!)
fevere that there _ fhou'd be no Calv'mijls, no Vresb)Hriansy
no Dijfenters which fhou'd not deferve great Marks of
Favour and Countenance, except thofe of our own
Growth.

The Severity of this Bill feems, in the laft Place, car-
ried to che greater!: Height, inasmuch as this Crime of any
Teachers of Youth going to a Meeting is never to be purged
away ; no not by performing a ^uarani-.in for a Twelve-month
in the Church ; which yet will do in a Cafe of a like Na-
ture: So that this ieems to be treated as 'the only unp?r-

dbniibls.

(22)

donable Sin of this Kind in our Country, for which there
is not any room lefc for Repentance.

These are fome of the Severities of this Bill, and what
can the Effett of it be, if ever it mould pafs into a Law,
but to reduce many of thefe Teachers of Youth to ftarve,
or to become a Burthen upon the Parifh ; many of which
are not only Men of a- liberal Education and great Worth,
but Confeitars for their Religion ; and as to thofe that are
tto be taugh't, (unlefs DiiTenters will furrier their Chil-
dren to be bred np in the utmoft Prejudices againft them)
either they mult be bred up without Learning, which can-
not but have very ill Effects on Church and State j or elfe
they muft be fent Abroad to get it; which, as it will
carry out a great deal of the Cam of the Kingdom, fo it
will return them Home to us with Principles lefs difpos'd
to the Conftitution in Church and State, than what they
wou'd learn from Proteftant DiiTenters at Home. This is
the lead of the ill Effects it will produce: Perhaps, it may
jnake great Numbers of Perfons tranfplant themfelves, with
their Eftates, Trades, Arts, Myfteries, and Manufactures in-
to fome more Hofpitable Region, where they may not be de-
ny'd this ineltimable Privilege and Comfort, to the unfpeak-
able Detriment of the landed and trading Intereft of our
Country. The Bill it felf has a natural Tendency to thefe
melancholy Ccnfequences; and what will give it greater
Tendency this Way will be, that Proteftant DiiTenters will
be apt to think that no Place will in a little time be al-
low'd them in a Nation, which tho' it gave them Breach,
has not only redue'd them to be Hewers of Wood and
Drawers of Water, but declares their Principles to be fuch as
are not fit to be tranfmitted to the fucceeding Generation.

And what, for God's Sake, is all this for ? Is it to gain an
entire Uniformity ? Is that obtain'd among Conformifts them-
felves? Or can it be even by an Inquifition ? If it could,
What Advantage will redound from it ? Can Conformity
render the Diffenters more peaceable Subjects, more ready to
own Her Majefty's Title, or Her Proteftant SucceiTors, more
willing to pay Taxes towards the Support of the Govern-
ment,

(*.«3

mem, more fcber, frugal, induflrious than they are already I
Will fewer fuffer among them as Evil Doers ? Will the Balance
of Parties be better preferv'd, on which the Balance of Power
in England and Europe does in a good Meafure depend ?
Will there be more Learning and ftrictncfs of Life, more
Humility and- Paitoral Care among the Clergy ? Or will
there be more Peace and good Neighbourhood^ the King-
dom, more Love and Charity in the Church i If there would ,
How come we to find Confcrmifts reproaching each other
daily with want of all thefe Things, notwithstanding the moil
rigorous Conformity ? If Men have a Difpofition to Peace
and Love, there will be ne'er thelefs of that happy Temper
for leffer Differences in Religion,- Charity and Forbear-
ance will unite us all, notwithstanding different Opinions,
and be the Bond of Perfection under all our mutual Weak-
neffes and Infirmities, and teach Men to agree to difier, as
amicably as to agree ; and ir Men han't it, the i-'ricreir
Uniformity in the World will be very far from producing it,
It can't be thought, that the only Deiign of this Bill is to
fecure the Church and State ; fince the Diffenters Jiave given
all the Securities to the Government for their good Behavi-
our that any other Body of Men have done ; at the fame time
that there is net fo much as a fingle Man amongit them
fufpected of entertaining the lead Scruple about Her Ma-
jesty's undoubted Title to the Crown, and of that of the
Princefs Sophia, and the Heirs of Her Body, being Protectants,
according to the Limitations of the Act: of Succeflion. And
if the Church had been thought in Danger from Youth's
being educated in the Principles differing from thofe thai
are fetled by the Act of Uniformity, why mould not Claufes to
reftrain Pcpifh and Jacobite Schools have been readily em-
bracd ? fince there can be no Protectants but muit think
thofe Schifmaticks and Diffenters more dangerous to Church
and State, than other Diffenters who are Protectants .
Well-affe&ed to Both? But if without Foundation, a
contrary to all Appearance, there cou'd be any Suspicion
that Principles are taught by Diffenting School-mahers, School-
mi 'reffes, or other Tutors and Initructcrs of Youth dange-
rous to Church and State, lec all the State Oaths ; ked

(H)

of them to render them capable of Teaching ,• together with
a folemn Declaration, " That they think it absolutely unlaw-
4" ful :o endeavour to inftill any Principles into the Youth
i: that fhall be committed to their Care, which may tend
c to make them take any other Way to alter the prefent
: Eftablifriment of the Church of England, than by Periuafion,
f and their own profeft Diifent." If it had been the only De-
fign of this Bill to give a farther Security to Church and State,
feme (uch Tefcs as Thefe'wou'd have been requir'd from Dif-
fentlng Inftruclors of Youth ; but it wou'd never have been
propbs'd, that they fhould not at any Time afterwards go to
a Meeting. That indeed may be fitly calculated to pro-
duce a itridter Uniformity, and to extirpate DifTenters •
but can never be fram'd for the bare Security of the Church
or State.

I N the mean while, to what Melancholy Thoughts will thefe
unhappy Meafures bring us ! Meafures concerted only to
compals a Thing that feems altogether ufelefs, if not hurt-
ful and pernicious. What Idea will this Bill give us of the
Confiitution, and the Clemency of the Britifh Government ! Has
not an Union between the Two Kingdoms been happily
accomplifh'd in Her Majefty's Reign? By which a Presby-
terian Church Government, and a Simplicity cf Chriftian
Worfhip, is as much eftablifhed on t'other Side of the Tweed,
and deciar'd to be a Part of G o d's Worfhip, as Epifcopacy
and Ceremonies are on this? And has not Her Majefty
often deciar'd this happy Union the greateft Felicity and
Glory of her Reign? And mail it be ftain'd by declaring the
felt- lame Thing in a good Meafure on the l^orth Side, a
little River, the true Chriftian Religion, and the Purity of
God's Worfhip ? And intolerable, and unfit to be allow'd
on any Confideration whatfoever, on the South ? Has not
Her Majefty given Peace to Mankind ? Peace to our Ene~
mies? A Peace that they themfelves acknowledge to be
Glorious, and to have receiv'd from Her Majefty's Bounty ?
And re the poor Englsjli DiiTenting Proteftants the only
Men, That inftead of being allowed to tafte the mighty
Bleflings it brings along with it, are to be Sacrific'd as a

Thank-

(*5 )

Thank-offering for it ? But does the Saviour of rhe World
delight in Human Sacrifices, or in the Uneafinefs and Di-
ftreiTes of Mankind ? Or the Deftroyer of it ? And yet has
not Her M-ij-dy been in a good Meafure put into Cir-
eumftances to acquire the G.ory of giving this merciful
Peace to FLr Enemies, by the Taxes and Loan; thefe Men
have cheerfully contributed to the War ? It may be, by
their Fervent and Inceffant Prayers for its Succefs. And
what is the Ufe Her Majedy continually recommends to
Her Parliament and Her People, as the fitted to be made
of Peace Abroad, but Peace at Home ? But are we per-
verfely by Peace, to underdand Perfecution ? Unfortunate
Men! that mall be deftin'd to fuch Severities ; not only
whild Innocence, and fome Degree of Merit is found
amongd them, but under the Protection of the Confticu-
tion, and the perpetual Recommendations to Peace and
Union from the Throne.

What Idea will this give Men of a Church, that tho*
die be arm'd with all the Laws the Wit of Man con-
contrive, with Numbers, with the People of Confideration
for Learning and Quality among us, with the far greater
Part of the Lands, and Riches, and all the Power and Ho-
nour of the Kingdom, and with a Revenue of perhaps
Two Hundred Thoufand Pounds per Annum, to Breed and
Maintain Learned Advocates for her Caufe, yet can't be
fatisfied, or think herfelf fafe, unlefs her poor Didenting Bre-
thren be depriv'd of all Means of Learning and Education.
But does not this feem to be a Conduct better Calculated to
promote the Caufe of a Julian} or a Lewis XIV. Perfons
perhaps fufpe&ing the Side they had taken ; than of Prote-
dants that think they have fo much to alledge in their own
Behalf, as to judify them in the utmoft Contempt of all that
differ from? them. If the Diffenters mud be thought Ene-
mies to the Church, is this yet the Way to treat contemp-
tible Enemies ? Or is it not rather the ready one to render
them Confiderable in the Opinion of all By-danders ? And
what Hurt have thefe Men done ? Let their word Enemies

D dand

( 26 }

itand forth and charge them ; what Evil is found in them,
laving in the Matter of their God? Can Proteftant Diffen-
ters do the Church any Harm by publickly declaring, That
in their Opinion me is in fome leffer Points miftaken,
to her own Hurt, which though they believe her Confci-
entious in the Profeflion or Practice of, yet have in their
poor Opinion an unhappy Tendency, and that to herfelf,
to the Caufe of Truth, and to the Nation. On the con-
trary, is not this what they are oblig'd to by Truth, by
the G o d of Truth, and by that Law of Charity which we
are all under towards Brethren that we think ( no matter with
how little Reafon, whilft we think it ) under a Miibt';e, and
a Miftake of Confequence ? Gamaliel's Advice is in this Cafe
unanfwerable. If the Diffenters are miftaken, 'tis impoflible
they can gain Ground againft: a Church fo well fertihed and
defended: "if they are not, vain are all Laws againlt them,
tJftlagna eft Veritas, & fravalebit.

And muft the Diffenters be the moft unkindly treated,
after they have -worn out the old Prejudices againft them ? Muft
they be more hardly us'd, now that it is plain there is not
a Republican amongft them, than when they were all thought
Commonwealth-Men ? Are new Severities^ to be us'd in cool
Blood, and unprovok d, when an Exemption from them has
brought the Diffenters nearer to the Church in Love and
. Charity, than ever, and to profefs more friendly Principles to
Mankind, than any Body of Men in the World ? Js perfec-
ting the only Number of Men, who have not a Real or
Sufpeded Jacobite among them, the Way to keep out the
Pretender ? Or is the diftrefling thofe who are entirely, and
to a Man, for the Succeffion in the Illuftrious Houfe of
Hannover, the Way to ftrengthen that Succeilion to the
Throne of thefe Realms ?

And in the laft Place, If Perfecution be the greateft
Crime againft God and Man, that Human Nature can be
guilty of: If there be no Inftance in Hiftory^ where Perfe-
cution

(*7)

cution has not drawn down the exemplary Vengeance of
Heaven ; If there be no Party among us, that having per-
fected, has not been perfecuted again -> and by Perfection
been for fome Time atleaft brought to Repentance; If, after all,
inftead of keeping at the grearefc Diftance from this Crime,
we mall become guilty of it in the moft aggravated Man-
ner, what can we exped, but that with the Meafure we
mete, It (hall be meted to us again ? And that He, whofe
Right alone our Confciences are, will overturn every Thing
that is his Rival, and that becomes the Objed: of his
Jealoufy, by ftanding in Competition with him in his Rule
and Government of the World ? " Be wife now therefore,
ff O ye Kings, be inftrufted ye Judges of the Earth,- ferve
tc the Lord with Fear, rejoyce with Trembling, for
<c when his Anger is kindled but a little, blelfed Pi"al ■"■ I0*
cc [ and only blelfed ] are they that put their Trufc
« in Him. "

II, 12.

I Hope, Your Lordfhip will overlook the many Faults,
which the Hurry, in which this has been writ, has in fome
Meafure occafion'd. Something more, as well as a great
deal better, might have been faid, if the unufual Expedition
with which this Bill has mov'd, would have permitted it.
I know Your Lordfhip's Goodnefs will impute the Faults
that are in this Letter to the Caufe, no farther than you
think that anfwerable for them ,• and your own fure Judg-
ment will fuggeft many Things to you where I have been
wanting. If Your Lordfhip thinks any Thing that I have
offer'd here, has any Weight in it, I know I need not
beg You to oppofe this Bill with Your Vote and Inte-
rel't, or with that Strength of Reafon, and Force of Elo-
quence, in which You are admir'd and envy'd by Mankind
and by which You have fo often, and fo inimitably, fet out
Perfecution in its moft black and odious Colours, both from
the Pulpit and the Bifhop's Bench. Every honeft Caufe
has You for its Advocate. But if this Caufe appears to
Your Lordfhip, what it does the moft evidently to me,
the Caufe of Truth, of Religion, and of Liberty, I know

You

(28)

\ou will difcinguifh it by peculiar Marks of Your Zeal,
and thereby render all Good Men more devoted to You,
than they are at prefenr, if that be poffible, and parti-
cularly,

z^fy Lord,

Tcur Lordship's

mofi Faithful

and moji Obedient Servant,